Shooting Victims' Families Unhappy Over Relief Fund Process
ByThe non-profit organizations and charities working towards collecting the relief fund for Aurora shooting victims are apparently facing the wrath of the victims' families.
The families and relatives of those killed and wounded in one of the worst shootings in the history of US, have expressed their dismay toward the charities and accused them of ignoring their voice in distributing the relief funds estimate to be around $5 million.
In what is being said as an emotional press conference Tuesday, Group spokesperson Tom Teves claimed that the first disbursement of funds went to the charities instead of shooting victims' families. Teves' son 24-year old Alex, was one of the victims brutally shot and killed in the rampage.
Much of the money, Teves said, was being denied to family members even though it was raised using the pictures and names of 'our murdered loved ones,' reports USA Today.
A total of 18 people representing the families of the 12 who were killed and 58 who were injured in the shooting were present at the conference.
Teves was also upset over the fact that the committee overseeing the distribution of funds does not have any victims or their family members on it.
The Community First Foundation, which manages the Aurora Victim Relief Fund, said it was dispersing money through smaller local charities that are responsible for distributing it to victims and their families. But, an amount of $350,000 has already been directly given to them, said the foundation.
"We are certain that everyone who donated their hard-earned wages intended for 100 percent of their donations to go directly to the victims," Teves said at the press conference. "Unfortunately, it does not seem to be the case."
But, Community First's Executive Vice President Cheryl Haggstrom was insistent that the foundation was in a process of arranging meeting with the families to get their opinion. She also added the foundation is relying on 'professionals' to decide 'the best time' to include them.
One more charity called '7/20 Recovery Committee' was set up by the city of Aurora to advise Community First on the distribution of donations raised for Aurora victims. Richard Audsley, a special adviser to this Committee said to USA Today Tuesday, that a meeting with the 12 families is planned for Friday 'to start a dialogue to hear from them to understand their concerns and issues.'
The suspect in the shooting, James Holmes, a drop-out of University of Colorado's doctoral neuroscience program has been charged with multiple counts of first-degree and attempted murder for the July 20 massacre. He is being held in solitary confinement at the Arapahoe County jail.